Instructions for disabling and removing the OneDrive application from Windows have appeared on the Microsoft technical support portal. This service was previously promoted as the main cloud storage in Windows and could not be simply removed.
The new step-by-step guide is for those who want to disable, deactivate, or delete OneDrive. Microsoft itself recommends that Windows 10 and 11 users simply “unlink” OneDrive from their computer, promising to retain full access to downloaded files via OneDrive.com. Once unlinked, OneDrive can be “hidden” from Windows or deleted, Microsoft explains, with the latter option available on “some versions of Windows” as well as Android and iOS mobile devices.
You can completely remove OneDrive from Windows, like other software, through the “Applications” section in the Control Panel. This option is available on Windows 10 and 11—the only desktop operating systems Microsoft currently offers support for. But Windows 8.1 users will not be able to remove OneDrive from their legacy system.
Previously, Microsoft insisted that OneDrive is an integral part of the Windows operating system and cannot be removed. It is likely that, as in the case of Apple, the European Digital Markets Act forced the company to reconsider its decision.
European Windows 11 users have also recently been able to uninstall various “system” apps, including Bing search and even Edge, which Microsoft has confirmed – something previously thought to be impossible due to the so-called deep integration of the web browser and the operating system.
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